Valve assemblies for fitment to containers



G. D. JONES VALVE ASSEMBLIES FOR FITMENT TO CONTAINERS Filed Aug. 24,1964 1 June 21, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet l QERM-D D. JONES Attorney UnitedStates Patent 3,257,035 VALVE ASSEMBLIES FOR FITMENT T0 CONTAINERSGerald Dovaston Jones, Worthing, England, assignor to The Metal BoxCompany Limited, London, England,

a British company Filed Aug. 24, 1964, Ser. No. 391,471 Claims priority,application Great Britain, Sept. 16, 1963,

36,416/ 63 6 Claims. (Cl. 222-82) This invention relates to a valveassembly for fitment to a container from which liquid is to be ejectedby internal pressure, for example the assembly may be fitted to a fireextinguisher or to aerosol containers for disinfection anddisinfestation preparations.

With containers of the kind above mentioned it is essential that thewhole of the contents of the container be discharged Withoutinterruption and valves therefor have heretofore usually been either ofa kind which employs a locking device to hold the valve in the opencondition thereof, or of a kind which is provided with a diaphragmrupturing device. The kind which uses a locking device is not whollysatisfactory because it is possible either to pull the valve back intothe closed position or to initiate operation without the valve beinglocked in the open position. The diaphragm rupturing devices are alsonot wholly satisfactory because the act of rupturing. I

the diaphragm may block the discharge channel. It is a main object ofthe present invention to providea valve assembly which avoids theseobjections.

According to the invention there is provided a valve assembly forfitment to a container from which liquid is to be ejected by internalpressure, said assembly comprising a valve housing including a tubularportion extending from the bottom thereof and having an axial bore whichextends therefrom into the housing, ribs located in the region of saidbottom and spaced apart around the interior of the housing, a gasketsealing the end of the housing opposite said bottom, a stem extendingthrough said gasket into the housing, said stem being slidable axiallythrough the gasket'and provided with a longitudinal passage whichextends to the outer end of the stem and with an opening which extendsthrough the side of the stem at the inner end thereof, a sleevefrictionally engaged around the stem, and a shoulder on said stem todetermine the extent of movement of the stem through the sleeve, saidsleeve normally resting on the tops of said ribs while covering saidopening, and said shoulder being normally spaced upwardly from the upperend of the sleeve by a distance long enough such that when the stem ispushed inwards until the shoulder engages the upper end of the sleevethe bottom of the sleeve, which rests on the tops of the ribs, isprevented from moving with the stern as the stem descends, whereupon theside opening on the stem is uncovered.

In one embodiment of the invention the stem has a closed inner end andsaid opening is located adjacent to the closed inner end. In analternative embodiment the stern has an open inner end closed by adiaphragm closing the inner end of the sleeve, and the inner'end of thestem is adapted on movement thereof towards the bottom of the chamber topuncture said diaphragm so as permanently to expose said opening topermit the flow of liquid from the bore into and out of the passage inthe stem.

The valve assembly may include a dispensing button fitted to the outerend of the stem, said button having a dispensing aperture communicatingwith an expansion chamber which in turn communicates with saidpassage inthe stem.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood two embodimentsthereof will now be described, by way- FIG. 4 is a section similar tothat of FIG. 1 but illustrates a modified form of valve assemblyaccording to the invention, and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing parts in differentpositions thereof.

In the drawings like reference numerals indicate like or similar parts.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the valve assembly comprises a housing 1which includes an open topped chamber 2 sealed by a resilient sealinggasket 3 and which has a bottom 4 opening into an outlet bore 5 formedin a tubular portion 6 of the housing. The portion 6 may be arranged toreceive adip tube 7 and be provided with a barb 8 to retain the dip tubein position. The gasket 3 is retained in position by a cup member 9 bywhich the valve assembly is secured to a container. The cup member 9maybe similar to the member 5 described in British patent specificationNo. 832,507. Ribs 10 extend upwards from the bottom 4 and have edges 11formed in continuation of the bore 5.

A stem 12 extends through the gasket 3 and has a closed inner end 13which is slid-able between the edges 11 of the ribs 10 to guide the stemfor axial movement relative to the housing 1. The stem includes a neckedportion 14 which makes sealing engagemet with the gasket 3, alongitudinal passage 15 which extends to the i outerend 16 of the stem,and an opening 17 which is located adjacent to the closed inner end 13of the stem and extends from the passage 15 through the side of the stemat a position within the chamber 2'and at a position adjacent to thetops 18 of the ribs 10.

A sleeve 19 is frictionally engaged around the stern and closes theopening 17. The sleeve is also so located relative to the bottom 4 ofthe chamber 2, for example it engages the bottom, that on axial movementof the stem to move the inner end 13 further towards the bottom 4 thestem is pushed through. the sleeve 19 by co-operation of the sleeve withthe tops 18 of the ribs 10 thereby permanently to expose the opening 17to permit the fioW of liquid from the bore into and out of the passage15 in the stem when the assembly is fitted to a filled container. Thestem 12 is provided with a shoulder 20 to determine the extent ofmovement of the stem throughmunicating with an expansion chamber 23which, in turn,

communicates with the passage 15 in the stem 12.

The normal position of the sleeve 19 is as shown in FIG. 1 in whichposition, because it closes the opening 17, when the assembly is fittedto a container none of the contents is released from the container. Toeflect the release of the contents of the container, the stem '12 ismoved axially, FIG. 3, towards the bottom 4, thus causing the inner endof the stem to slide through the sleeve 19 until further movement isarrested by the shoulder 20. The opening 17 is thus exposed and thecontents of the container flow through the outlet bore 5 into chamber 2and thence through opening 17 and passage 15. During depression of thestem the resilient sealing gasket 3 is moved into thechamber as shown inFIG. 3 and on release of axial pressure from the stem, due to theresilience of the gasket 3 and pressure in the container, the stem tendsto return to the starting position thereof. Once the stem has been movedthrough the sleeve the latter cannot return to the original positionthereof because of the friction between it and the stem and it will,therefore, be understood that the opening 17 remains permanently open sothat the whole of the contents of the container are dispensedimmediately following the exposure of opening 17. Should the stem not bereturned to the starting position thereof the discharge willnevertheless continue because the contents of the container flow out ofthe bore and between the ribs 10. Thus even though the opening 17 may belocated at a position below the tops 18 of the ribs the contents willflow through the opening.

The modified embodiment of the valve assembly illustrated in FIGS. 4 and5 is similar to that described above except that the stem 12 has an openinner end and is provided with a cutting edge 24, the opening 17 in partis contiguous with the open inner end of the stem, and the sleeve 19, atthe inner end thereof, has a diaphragm 25. The sides and diaphragm ofthe sleeve normally close the opening 17 and the inner end of the stembut on axial movement of the stem towards the bottom 4 the cutting edge24 ruptures the diaphragm 25, as illustrated in FIG. 5, thus exposingthe opening 17 so that the contents of the container flow through theoutlet bore 5 into chamber 2 and thence through opening 17 and passage15 as indicated by the arrows 26, FIG. 5.

One side of the inner end of the stem 12 is provided with a radiusedportion 27 to obviate complete severance of the diaphragm 25 from thesleeve 19 as shown in FIG. 5.

I claim:

1. A valve assembly for fitment to a container from which liquid is tobe ejected by internal pressure, said assembly comprising a valvehousing including a tubular portion extending from the bottom thereofand having an axial bore which extends therefrom into the housing, ribslocated in the region of said bottom and spaced apart around theinterior of the housing, a gasket sealing the end of the housingopposite said bottom, a stern extending through said gasket into thehousing, said stem being slidable axially through the gasket andprovided with a longitudinal passage which extends to the outer end ofthe stem and with an opening which extends through the side of the stemat the inner end thereof, a sleeve frictionally engaged around the stem,and a shoulder on said stem to determine the extent of movement of thestern through the sleeve, said sleeve normally resting on the tops ofsaid ribs while covering said opening, and said shoulder being normallyspaced upwardly from the upper end of the sleeve by a distance longenough such that when the stem is pushed inwards until the shoulderengages the upper end of the sleeve the bottom of the sleeve, whichrests on the tops of the ribs, is prevented from moving with the stem asthe stem descends, whereupon the side opening on the stem is uncovered.

2. A valve assembly according to claim 1, including a dispensing buttonfitted to the outer end of said stern and having a dispensing aperturewhich communicates with an expansion chamber formed in the button andwhich in turn communicates with said longitudinal passage.

3. A valve assembly for fitment to a container from which liquid is tobe ejected by internal pressure, said assembly comprising a valvehousing including a tubular portion extending from the bottom thereofand having an axial bore which extends therefrom into the housing, ribslocated in the region of said bottom and spaced apart around theinterior of the housing, a gasket sealing the end of the housingopposite said bottom, a stem extending through said gasket into thehousing, said stem being slidable axially through the gasket and havinga closed inner end, a longitudinal passage which extends from the closedinner end to the outer end of the stem, and an opening located adjacentto said closed inner end and extending through the side of the stem, asleeve frictionally engaged around the stem, and a shoulder on said stemto determine the extent of movement of the stem through the sleeve, saidsleeve normally resting on the tops of said ribs while covering saidopening, and said shoulder being normally spaced upwardly from theupperend of the sleeve by a distance long enough such that when the stemis pushed inwards until the shoulder engages the upper end of the sleevethe bottom of the sleeve, which rests on the tops of the ribs, isprevented from moving with the stem as the stem descends, whereupon theside opening on the stem is uncovered.

4. A valve assembly according to claim 3, including a dispensing buttonfitted to the outer end of said stem and having a dispensing aperturewhich communicates with an expansion chamber formed in the button andwhich in turn communicates with said longitudinal passage.

5. ,A valve assembly for fitment to a container from which liquid is tobe ejected by internal pressure, said assembly comprising a valvehousing including a tubular portion extending from the bottom thereofand having an axial bore which extends therefrom into the housing, ribslocated in the region of said bottom and spaced apart around theinterior of the housing, a gasket sealing the end of the housingopposite said bottom, a stem extending through said gasket into thehousing, said stern being slidable axially through the gasket and havinga longitudinal passage open at both ends of the stem, an opening whichextends through the side of the stem at the inner end thereof, and aninner end formed as a cutter, a sleeve frictionally engaged around thestem and having a diaphragm which closes the inner end of saidlongitudinal passage, a shoulder on said stem to determine the extent ofmovement of the stem through the sleeve, said sleeve normally resting onthe tops of said ribs while covering said opening, and said shoulderbeing normally spaced upwardly from the upper end of the sleeve by adistance long enough such that when the stem is pushed inwards until theshoulder engages the upper end of the sleeve the bottom of the sleeve,which rests on the tops of the ribs, is prevented from moving with thestem as the stem descends, whereupon the inner end of the stem puncturessaid diaphragm and permanently exposes the side opening on the stem.

6. A valve assembly according to claim 5, including a dispensing buttonfitted to the outer end of said stem and having a dispensing aperturewhich communicates with an expansion chamber formed in the button andwhich in turn communicates with said longitudinal passage.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,667,991 2/1954Boyer 169-31 X 3,051,652 8/1962 Olandt 1693l 3,096,003 7/l963 Nesin.

RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Primary Examiner.

1. A VALVE ASSEMBLY FOR FITMENT TO A CONTAINER FROM WHICH LIQUID IS TOBE EJECTED BY INTERNAL PRESSURE, SAID ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A VALVEHOUSING INCLUDING A TUBULAR PORTION EXTENDING FROM THE BOTTOM THEREOFAND HAVING AN AXIAL BORE WHICH EXTENDS THEREFROM INTO THE HOUSING, RIBSLOCATED IN THE REGION OF SAID BOTTOM AND SPACED APART AROUND THEINTERIOR OF THE HOUSING, A GASKET SEALING THE END OF THE HOUSINGOPPOSITE SAID BOTTOM, A STEM EXTENDING THROUGH SAID GASKET INTO THEHOUSING, SAID STEM BEING SLIDABLE AXIALLY THROUGH THE GASKET ANDPROVIDED WITH A LONGITUDINAL PASSAGE WHICH EXTENDS TO THE OUTER END OFTHE STEM AND WITH AN OPENING WHICH EXTENDS THROUGH THE SIDE OF THE STEMAT THE INNER END THEREOF, A SLEEVE FRICTIONALLY ENGAGED AROUND THE STEM,AND A SHOULDER ON SAID STEM TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT OF MOVEMENT OF THESTEM